Pace the Protector

One thing that has been a common thread with all three of my babies is Pace's desire to protect them. From the second I walk in the door from the hospital, Pace is there watching over HIS baby. While I am nursing he is in my lap; if she cries when someone is holding the baby, he jumps up next to them and sees that they take care of her; when she is in her bouncer, he is on the floor beside her. 

This is Pace checking on Elli Dew.

While I tried to snap pictures for the birth announcement, Pace was on the sideline supervising.

Here is Pace protecting Reese, while I was nursing. 

Pace naps with Reese.

When we had to 'sun' Brady to help with her jaundice, Pace sunned right there with her.

When Beppa held Brady, Pace supervised.

Pace thank you for your years of protection!

Owl Blanket Project: Month One

So I am stealing my friend's, Jenn, idea for watching Elli grow over the next year. I will take her picture on this same blanket on the 24th of each month, to mark her month birthdays.

Here is Elli on her first month birthday!

She really wanted to be on her belly when I was grabbing these photos, so I had to include the tummy time pic since that is when she was happy.

At her 4 week appointment, she weighed 9 pounds 10 ounces. That is 75th %ile. She was 21.75 inches, which is between 75th and 90th (closer to 90) %ile. Basically she has thus far stayed on the curve she was on at birth. Yah, for a happy healthy baby!

Another milestone worth mentioning is she smiles now. I got my first 'social' smile when she was only 2 weeks old. While I was sweet talking she looked right at my eyes and smiled, the best gift a baby can give you! I have yet to capture her smile on film yet, but I will keep trying and share it when I get it.

Brady also had her 5 year old physical. She came in at 39.5 pounds and 42.75 inches. That is about 50th%ile for both. Yah, for a happy healthy kid!

So we don't leave Reese out of this post, i will close with an Orthnerism. A friend of ours who recently moved north, was down here visiting family. We went over to the grandparents house (where the friend was staying) to go swimming. We changed out of our suits in the guest bedroom where the family was staying. Naturally, suitcases were on the floor and toiletries where out across the dresser, etc. Reese looked around upon entering and said "Is this Sydney's room?" No, remember she lives in PA now, but this is the room she is sleeping in. "This room is terrible!" So, lesson to gather, if Reese comes to visit your house, get your 'stuff' picked up....

Like sister, like sister

It is hard not to think about my days 5 years ago....

when I dress Elli in this....

 Or to think about my itty bitty Brady...

When Elli looks at me like this...

Lady Brady as Fancy Nancy

We have been planning this big 5 birthday party since march (well maybe I have been mentally planning it for two years). We were excited about our Fancy Nancy tea party. We had the invitations completed by mid april, addressed and waiting in Brady's closet to be handed out! Nothing fancier then homemade invites.

Brady wanted to follow Fancy Nancy's tea party book to a 'tea'. We made the place setting just the way we saw in the book. Lollipop place cards, dollies on paper plates, monogrammed flatware, folded napkins in tea cups, bejeweled butterfly place mats, yes we had it all!

Brady prepped by hand washing all the tea cups we collected at the local thrift stores. Thank you Montessori School of Pensacola for teaching my daughter to LOVE to hand wash dishes!

Lollipops turned into flowers to create centerpieces. 

 Grandma helped out tremendously too. She decorated the house and donated homemade mats and accessories.

 We had a friend do the girls' hair and nails to be fancy, so the girls needed a fancy place to get fancy ;)

 Grandma came through with these lovely homemade bags that contained all the accessories. Thanks Grandma!

Then the party day FINALLY arrived!!!! The girls all got their nails painted.

 And their hair done....

And outfitted in accesories

 We had our token boy, and he was a great sport!

Look at this lovely crowd of fancy (and dapper) kids

After everyone was all fancied up, Brady lead the group on a fancy parade. She loved being in charge. She lined everyone in a certain order and then told them to follow her and do whatever action she did (run, jump, skip)

Can you tell the birthday girl was having a blast!

Now time for the tea party (that didn't have any tea at it).

Nothing more fun then sipping pink lemonade out of a teacup. Right?

 Brady choose to receive gifts this year instead of collecting donations. She was very excited about opening the gifts, but honestly I think her friends were more excited about giving the gifts.

Fancy Nancy thinks speaking in French is fancy, so we had parfaits and petit fours for dessert. The kids went through the buffet line to build parfaits with yogurt, pudding, whipped cream, cherries, oreos, fruity pebbles and marshmallows. I think they were a big hit (with the adults too).

Then we put five candles in a petit four...luckily they all fit. 

Brady's other family members got fancy for the party too! Not that she gave us any other option!

The Fancy Nancy party was loads of GIRLY fun! Happy 5th Birthday Beautiful!

Life is great

I just wanted to stop in and let everyone know that life is great here in our neck of the woods. My lack of blogging does not mean that I have lack of things to blog about! We have had milestones reached, first (and second) ballet recitals, flash flooding that created crazy adventures, fancy nancy birthday party, fatherhood celebrated, goodbyes to dear friends, lighthouse climbed, Dewy turning nine, family visits, inches of golden curls chopped off and lots of 'firsts' for all three girls... really life is so grand right now, there isn't time left for me to sit in front of this computer, sorry to leave you out of the loop.

I will let you catch up on the last few weeks events with a sampling of pictures...Sorry I can't give you more but I have life to enjoy!

Karl's first fathers' day with THREE girls to help him realize how awesome he is as a dad

 Reese got Karl the shirt and shorts, and Brady got him the shoes. And no, I didn't pick them out, thye did 100%

 Daniel, my mom and I climbed the Pensacola light house... a reminder of how out of shape I am....177 steps

 Auntie Andi got lots of cuddles from her older two nieces. I believe she would of cuddled more with Elli but wasn't given the opportunity.

 My two ballerinas brought tears to my eyes, as Reese did her first recital and Brady did her second. But Reese wasn't the only one to hit the ballet stage for the first time, Karl joined the girls on stage for a Daddy Daughter dance.

 The day of recital and the next day we received over 20 inches of rain! Most streets were flooded, man hole covers were popped off and water was spewing out. Houses were destroyed. We got stuck on the other side of town and almost didn't make it to recital. But the next day Auntie Andi, washed all the stress away by puddle jumping.

 The girls got their first try at skating... needless to say, it was harder then the pictured it being. Brady said "I am tried of learning, I just want to do it"

Elli says she loves skating, because she gets Grandma time!

 No caption needed for this sweetness!

 After 2.5 weeks, Elli lost her umbilical cord stump. She is a much happier baby during bath time when she is immersed in the water.

 So when you are wondering where my updates are, just know I am busy soaking this up....